1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a technology of recording information on a recording material receptacle.
2. Related Art
A technology of installing a semiconductor memory on a printing material receptacle fitted on a printing apparatus has been proposed. The classification of the color of the printing material accommodated in the printing material receptacle and the remaining amount of the printing material, for example, are recorded in the semiconductor memory. By recording the classification of the color of the printing material on the printing material receptacle side, the printing apparatus can determine whether or not the classification of the color of the fitted printing material receptacle is appropriate. Further, by recording the remaining amount of the printing material on the printing material receptacle side, the printing apparatus can appropriately ascertain the remaining ink amount even in a case where the printing material receptacle is temporarily detached from the printing apparatus and fitted once again by the user.
JP-A-6-255120, JP-A-2000-218816, JP-A-2003-11469, JP-A-2010-18024, and JP-A-2011-56739 are examples of the above-described related arts.
However, the structure of a printing material receptacle on which a semiconductor memory is installed is relatively complex. The structure of a printing apparatus on which such a printing material receptacle is fitted is the same. Further, also from the viewpoint of supporting the environment, it is desirable that a substitute technology with a low environmental impact be substituted for the semiconductor memory of the related art. Therefore, there is demand for a printing material receptacle with which information can be recorded with a simple configuration. Further, since information recorded in a semiconductor memory is not visible to a user, a semiconductor memory is not suited to being visible to a user. On the other hand, for example, information relating to the remaining amount of the printing material may be information that the user wishes to acquire. That is, if the information recorded on the printing material receptacle side is configured to be visible to the user, usability for the user is improved. Therefore, there is demand for information recorded on the printing material receptacle side to be visible to the user.